WiSci 2024: Kochi hosted a seven-day WiSci (Women in Science) camp which brought together 100 schoolgirls from India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the United States.
The in-person WiSci South Asia STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and design, and mathematics) camp was held here from June 2-8.
The WiSci Girls' STEAM camp is a US government collaborative effort to advance gender equality and promote STEAM education worldwide, the US Consulate General Chennai said here in a release on Sunday.
The camp availed unique opportunities for leadership development, skills-building, mentorship, and networking in various STEAM fields, it said.
"Girl Up", a global leadership development initiative founded by the United Nations Foundation, organised the camp in partnership with the US.
Department of State's Office of Global Partnerships, the U.S. Consulate General Chennai, and Rajagiri Business School in Kochi, alongside Caterpillar Foundation, Google, TE Connectivity Foundation, and United Airlines.
By providing adolescent girls with transferable leadership tools and training, these camps strive for participants to realise their full potential in becoming leaders in their communities not just in STEAM but in all disciplines, it said.
"We believe investing in girls' education and leadership development is key to unlocking their full potential and driving economic empowerment in communities globally," said Dorothy McAuliffe, US State Department Special Representative for Global Partnerships, at the closing ceremony.
"We are proud to partner with Girl Up to support this impactful initiative," she added.
US Consul General Chennai Chris Hodges inaugurated the camp here on June 2.
The US government has invested in Women in Science initiatives whole-heartedly and we have already seen the change happening, Hodges said.
"We are working with partners to create this empowering safe space for girl students to excel as future expert champions in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics career fields. These girls, the next generation of STEMinists, will succeed," Chris Hodges said.
Through interactive workshops, hands-on activities, and engaging discussions with industry experts and peers who share their passion for social change, the young campers gained valuable insights and inspiration into the world of STEAM.
"We are thrilled to have brought the WiSci Girls' STEAM Camp to India, providing these bold, brilliant girls from South Asia with a new platform to explore their passion in STEAM. This camp embodies our collective commitment to engaging young women in STEAM and equipping them with the skills and confidence to thrive in this rapidly evolving era of science and technology," Girl Up CEO Melissa Kilby said.
The science camp curriculum covered a range of STEAM topics, including climate science, women's representation in aviation, artificial intelligence, critical and emerging technology, and more.
Campers interacted with leading entrepreneurs, officials, policy makers, and STEAM role models, gaining career guidance to cultivate continuing cross-cultural connections with girls around the region.
"STEAM serves as the vital bridge between science and social impact. I aspire to improve the lives of those around me through accessible, quality healthcare, and WiSci offers me the invaluable opportunity to combine my passion with purpose, making a positive difference in my community and others," Lamia, one of the WiSci campers, said.
Since 2015, more than 1,100 girls and youth allies from 34 countries have been successfully trained at WiSci STEAM Camps around the world, channeling their week-long experiences into creating lifelong positive impact in the world, the statement added.